Ladies in Need
by footshooter
Summary: Daryl isn't always as much of a jerk as people think he is. Sometimes he surprises people. Some mild spoilers for the finale of S1. T for swearing and threat of violence.


Daryl threw the empty bottle down on the floor and looked over at Glenn, passed out on the bed. He chuckled and rolled his eyes, muttering "Lightweight."

He made his way to the door, tripping over Glenn's trainers as he went and having to pull himself up on the doorframe.

"More alcohol," he muttered to himself. "Imma not nearly shitfaced enough after all this time."

He wandered out into the hallway and stopped dead because the corridor looked the fucking same both fucking ways! He sighed, and walked off to the left, passing other doorways that he wasn't sure he'd passed on the way through, because they looked exactly the same as those he'd passed coming through. After five minutes of good old fashioned stumbling, he stopped and sighed.

"Fuck me sideways. Stupid fuckin' place. Even if you had a map you'd not be able t'navigate this. Why in the hell make it all the fuckin' same?"

He looked around as if expecting an answer and then laughed at himself, "Too used to Mearle bein' round, buddy. You's on your own now, 'member?"

He turned around and made to walk the other way when a noise caught his attention and he spun round again, head tilted curiously. It sounded like a woman crying.

Now he knew Andrea cried a lot since her sister died, hell, he didn't blame her – he shed a tear when Mearle was left for dead – but this didn't sound like Andrea. In fact, after the initial tears when she'd shot the girl in the head, Andrea didn't make any sound at all. And this was definitely noisy. Even if the woman was trying to hide it. Plus, he was sure Andrea's room was only 2 doors down from his, and he'd gone way further than two doors down here.

After a particularly choked sob, he decided to go check it out. He might not be the most emotional person in the world, but it went against his morals not to help a woman in need. And this was a woman. And she sounded in need.

After putting his ears to a couple of doors, he came to the room he reckoned the lady was in. He vaguely remembered it being a games room the kids were in earlier. The door swung open silently at his push and he stepped inside.

Lori was sat on a table, her back facing him, trembling with the force of the tears. Daryl was confused – they'd made it to safety, what the hell was wrong with the woman?, and so he cleared his throat.

Lori literally jumped off the desk and spun round to face him. He was slightly taken aback at how shocked she looked, but then she took a deep breath and wiped her eyes, trying to smile.

"Oh, Daryl. It's you. You scared me…"

"Are you alright?"  
>"Sorry?"<p>

"You. What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"Don' sound like nothin'." He squinted at her, "Don' look like nothin'. I could hear ya from along the hall."

"Shit," she breathed.

"S'alright, only I heard."

She looked at him curiously, like it was the first time she'd seen him properly, and sat back down on the table, trying her best to hold back the tears.

"You gonna tell me what's up?"

"Nothing… I just… nothing."

Daryl's brain, slower than usual from the alcohol, was working overtime. But no matter what anyone else thought, he wasn't stupid. She was worried when someone walked in, then calmed when she saw it was Daryl; meaning someone had upset her. But who?

And then it hit him.

He wandered over to the table and leaned on the desk beside her. She tensed slightly.

"You notice Shane's been actin' weird lately?"

Her eyes widened, and she opened her mouth for a couple of seconds before responding, "Um… I hadn't…"  
>"Yeah, he's goin' all psycho, man. We've all noticed. Me an' Glenn were talkin' 'bout it on watch a couple nights ago. Mind you, it's bin happening since Rick came back and I bet you bin too happy to notice."<p>

Her body language betrayed her feeble, "I hadn't…"

Daryl jumped up and placed both hands on the desk beside her, effectively pinning her with his face an inch from hers. She recoiled and jumped back, ready to fight him off; but he stepped aside with his hand over his eyes.

"He touched you, didn' he?"

He spun back round, taking his hand away.

"Lori! This is important!"

Lori crumpled, grabbing his shirt and starting to sob. Slightly taken aback, Daryl froze for a second before putting his arm round her and waiting for her to calm.

"I… I'm sorry."  
>"Don't you dare apologise to me. Imma fucking kill him."<p>

She looked up, startled.

"What?"

"He ain't gettin' away with this. Imma kill that bastard."

"No, Daryl. No."

"Well a'least tell Rick. I'm sure he'll wanna rip him another one just as much as I do."  
>"I can't tell Rick… I can't."<p>

Daryl was about to ask why, but then that hit him too.

"Oh…"

She looked into his eyes, "I thought he was dead."

He looked back into hers, "That gives him NO excuse if you said no. Lori, it ain't your fault."

She sniffed, and then nodded.

"Thank you."  
>"No problem. Now, you want me t'walk back to your room with ya? He won' touch ya if I'm there."<br>She nodded.

"And tell me, if he tries it again. Coz that son of a bitch will fuckin' regret it."

She looked at him, slightly worried, but took his offered hand and he pulled her up.

"Now, c'mon. You get back t'ya boy."

When Lori was safely in her room, after giving Daryl a hug, he smiled to himself. As burning as he was with bloodlust and the desire to go smack that bastards head off a wall, he felt like he'd done some good – and he kinda liked surprising people that way.

In fact. He thought he deserved another drink.


End file.
